San Francisco, CA
Hundreds Line Up in San Francisco to See 7-Foot Tall Corpse Flower That Smells 'Like a Porta Potty'
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2)/corpse-flower-california-022824-1-392f6c4a5ab54c6386be27e7cd92d92a.jpg?ssl=1 "Hundreds Line Up in San Francisco to See 7-Foot Tall Corpse Flower That Smells 'Like a Porta Potty'")
A corpse flower blooming in San Francisco is drawing in crowds anxious to smell the plant’s unique scent!
The California Academy of Sciences has named the rare plant Mirage, and the museum announced that they were excited to host their first-ever corpse flower bloom this week.
“It’s happening! Mirage, our corpse flower, is blooming,” the academy said in a tweet on Tuesday. Their post also contained a photo of the roughly seven-foot tall flower.
Adding that biologist Tim Wong would be hosting a Q&A for interested persons that evening, the academy also noted that Mirage could be seen in-person at the Osher Rainforest starting at 10 a.m. local time on Wednesday.
“Come catch a whiff!” the post concluded.
Corpse flowers, known scientifically as Amorphophallus titanum, get their name from the powerful stench they produce while in bloom — which is only for two to three days once every year or two, according to the United States Botanic Garden.
“It smells like rotten flesh and carrion, so you might get notes of all of those different things, people say garlic, sweaty feet, rotten flesh,” Wong told San Francisco’s ABC News 7 of the extraordinary plant and its extraordinary smell. “I actually kind of thought it smelled a little bit like a porta potty, like a collection of scents.”
He added that those wanting to witness the bloom may want to do so quickly.
AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
“The opportunity to see one of these in bloom is so ephemeral, the blooms last about one day so you really have a short window of time to come see the flower open.”
And Mirage is unique in many ways.
As of 2021, the USBG estimated that there were fewer than 1,000 individual corpse flowers remaining in the wild — making seeing one of these plants in person a remarkable experience.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The San Diego Botanic Garden refers to a corpse flower bloom as “a rare and special event,” stating that “most plants require seven to ten years to produce their first blooms, and bloom only every four to five years thereafter.”
Wong called the timing of the bloom “very unusual” because the academy is at the end of their typical season.
Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty
“If you can take off work, come check out the flower, I would definitely recommend it if you can, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for many people,” the biologist said.
Their natural habitat includes the tropical rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, and the bloom can reach heights of up to 8 feet.
Mirage was just a tiny flowering plant when it was presented as a gift to the California Academy of Sciences on behalf of the Conservatory of Flowers.
For those unable to attend the special show in San Francisco or see the corpse flower in its natural habitat, a live-stream of the academy’s exhibition can be viewed here.
Two of San Francisco’s favorite summer events return to the city’s streets next month.
The merrymaking begins with one of the longest running street festivals in San Francisco.
Union Street Festival(Courtesy of Sunset Mercantile)
The two-day long Union Street Festival, presented by Sunset Mercantile in partnership with the Union Street Association, brings together neighbors, locals, and visitors alike to celebrate local business, culture, and community on June 6th and 7th from 11am to 7pm
That weekend, the charming and walkable Cow Hollow neighborhood’s Union Street will transform into an open-air market between Fillmore and Gough with live music, dance, food, art, cocktails and mocktails, plus family-friendly games and activities.
Don’t miss out on San Francisco traditions like the iconic Waiter Relay Race on June 7th at 12pm. The high-energy, crowd-favorite competition where local restaurant, bar, and hospitality teams run a relay race while balancing trays is an only-in-SF-style homage to the city’s vibrant service industry and community spirit.
Just two weeks later, on Saturday, June 20th, and Sunday, June 21st, from 11am to 7pm, is the 70th anniversary of the North Beach Festival, presented by Zoox.
North Beach Festival(Courtesy of Sunset Mercantile)
The heart of the festival is at the intersection of Columbus Avenue and Green Street, and this year it will be bigger than ever with more than 200 vendors spread out across 11 blocks. Along with live music, delicious food, and outdoor bars featuring craft beer, wine, and cocktails, you’ll find activities for all ages, including jewelry making, live silk screening, and a kid-friendly zone with Legos, bubbles, chalk drawing, and more.
The Blessing of the Animals, a cherished San Francisco tradition where pet owners are encouraged to bring their furry friends for a special ceremony, will be held at 1pm on both Saturday and Sunday. There’s plenty to do while you’re in the neighborhood, too, like checking out the epic views from Coit Tower and browsing the stacks at City Lights Bookstore.
Even if Karl gets his way, the summer vibes at both events will be powerful enough to cut through the June gloom.
// Learn more at sunsetmercantilesf.com
SAN FRANCISCO – The children in one of San Francisco’s most historically challenged neighborhoods now have a new playground to call their own. The park has undergone its first major overhaul since it was opened in 1995, and is now officially kid approved.
Revitalized family-friendly space
What we know:
The children of San Francisco’s Tenderloin welcomed visitors to the newly renovated Tenderloin Children’s’ Playground. Upgrades include a new basketball court, new mini-soccer field just in time for the World Cup, and a new climbing structure that will thrill a new generation of kids.
Azzam Alameri, the District 5 youth commissioner, grew up just blocks from Tenderloin Children’s Playground and he remembers the outdated old park.
“It’s a drastic difference. Before, it was very desolate. It was very dark,” said Alameri.
Now he said the kids would have a destination. “I can relate to these kid,” Alamaeri said. “This place is like their safe spot. Their parents can drop them off and have not too many worries about the neighborhood and have them be kids, you know.”
The park reopened earlier than anticipated following a $3.8 million public private partnership. Sarah Madland from San Francisco Recreation and Parks said: “For more than three decades, Tenderloin Rec has not received a full renovation. But, with the support of our park partners, today we are celebrating this completely reimagined space.”
Upgrade ‘long overdue’
Supervisor Bilal Mahmood said the upgrade was long overdue. “This is a neighborhood with 3,500 hundred kids and it deserves to see the same love as the rest of the city does as well.”
The park drew fans big and small, including Mayor Daniel Lurie. “I want to be brief because I want to go up there,” he said, pointing to the top of the slide.
The new park brought out the kid in Mayor Lurie who couldn’t resist a quick climb into the structure, and a slide to the bottom. The mayor says this park is only the beginning. “This community deserves all of this and so much more and so, this is just a start.”
What’s next:
Until now, the park was only available Monday through Friday, but now it will be open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to welcome as many kids as the park can hold.
-
Massachusetts3 minutes ago‘I just don’t feel it here in New England right now’: Immigrants say World Cup excitement is lacking – The Boston Globe
-
Minnesota9 minutes agoLatest Minnesota summer outlook inconclusive on heat, more certain of dry streak
-
Mississippi15 minutes agoMississippi woman dies after snorkeling accident in Florida
-
Missouri21 minutes agoMissouri man arrested in Topeka following alleged drug possession
-
Montana27 minutes agoMore Republican leaders say state party is ‘purging.’ GOP says it’s ‘vetting.’ • Daily Montanan
-
Nebraska33 minutes agoGood boy: Nebraska K9 sniffs out 525 pounds of cocaine on I-80
-
Nevada39 minutes agoLas Vegas Pizza Festival returns for sixth year
-
New Hampshire45 minutes agoNew details on elderly woman, son found dead in Dover, NH
